Celebration of life
by smaragdbird
Summary: Teyla and Michael participate in an Athosian celebration of life Teylahuman!Michael AU


'Michael?' To an outsider Teyla must have given an expression of utter calm and serenity but Michael knew her well enough by now that he could decipher her smile as if you come up with any excuse you'll sleep on the couch for forever.

'I'm ready.' he gave her his biggest and fakest smile. Everyone from Colonel Sheppard over McKay to Evan and Kate had made cracks about him 'meeting the family'. Well, everyone except Ronon.

Michael didn't know if he ever had met another girlfriend's family on Earth but he doubted that any Earth family could be as frightening as the Athosians. For all their 'peacefulness' they definitely could kick ass and Michael would spent two days with them, cut off from Atlantis because he couldn't pilot a jumper.

Facing the large reptiles with the sharp and unnecessary many teeth on M3-5699 had been less scary.

'Welcome to Flight PJ- Four. I'm Major Evan Lorne and I'm your pilot today. Everyone who throws up in my jumper will clean it with their toothbrush.' Lorne greeted Teyla, Michael and Sergeant Stackhouse as soon as they were in the air. Parrish sat in the co-pilot's seat and Michael wondered if the two of them really didn't notice how obvious they were. Stackhouse was with them because a) he and Halling were good friends, b) had promised Jinto to teach him poker as soon as Jinto would be 13, which had occurred last week and c)he was unofficially officially dating Halling's younger brother Misha.

Fortunately no one gave him the hurt her and you'll be Wraith meat speech that everyone on Atlantis had taunted him with (and given in Sheppard's, McKay's, Kate's and Lorne's case). Halling challenged him to a friendly banto fight after which he expressed his astonishment over Michael's strength and mocked his poor technique.

Charin examined him closely from all sides then laid her hands on his face.

'Not the choice I expected.' She told Teyla: 'But he's strong and I can feel your connection.'

'What did she mean 'not the choice I expected'?' Michael asked as soon as they were outside Charin's tent: 'Sheppard? Ronon?'

'No.' Teyla reassured him, then nodded to a man that came into their direction.

'Teyla!'

'Kanaan.' Teyla's voice veered just very slightly into fake-excitement when she said the man's name and greeted him. Michael wished Athosians would greet each other like Earth people: with a handshake and not by pressing their foreheads together. Also in his opinion Teyla's ex-boyfriend lingered on a bit too long than strictly necessary.

'Kanaan, this is Michael, my companion. Michael, this Kanaan, we grew up together.'

'Nice to meet you.' Michael extended his hand and Kanaan took it.

'You, too.' Both their tone's implied nothing of the sort. Teyla intervened:

'I believe that Michael and I will have to hurry for the ceremony. We can talk later.'

'Of course.' Kanaan agreed.

'What are we doing here?' Michael asked when he followed Teyla and a stream of other couples away from the main festival, the fires and drinks and the food.

'This ceremony is for the Joined.' Teyla explained. She carried a blossom that was filled with wonderful smelling oil.

'We believe that the love one experiences in life is like a river: it begins small and grows wider and deeper with each person we meet, the larger our family becomes until it becomes endless and infinite.'

She balanced the blossom in one hand while searching for something in her clothes with the other. Michael could guess and whipped his lighter from a pocket: 'Need a light?'

'Thank you.' She gave him a small kiss then lit up the oil. Teyla pressed the burning flower in his hand and together they carefully sat her down on the water's surface. The river was enlightened with burning blossom as if a thousand tiny suns had fallen into it. He could make out Lorne and Parrish in the shadows, a bit away from the others and careful not to touch. Stackhouse and Misha, however, had no such concerns and couldn't keep their hands long enough from each other to light the flower without spilling half of its oil into the river.

Teyla leaned her back against his chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Ten months ago he had woken up without any memories in an infirmary on Atlantis. Teyla's reassurance that they were friends and her brilliant smile had been his only light back then. Now she was the star he navigated by. If he would ever be forced to choose between her and anyone or anything else he would always take her.

Michael tilted his head and his lips brushed her ear when he whispered:

'I know we never talked about this but if you ever want to go home and start a family then I'll come with you if you want me to.'

'You are my home.' She said firmly.

'And as for a family.' She took his hand and laid it over her flat belly: 'I believe we will be one soon enough.' His heart fluttered wildly at her admission. It felt like a good kind of fear.

'That's why you spoke with Dr. Beckett so much lately.'

'Yes.' She answered but there was a shadow over her face. It was an expression he knew only too well: everyone on Atlantis had worn it in the beginning and wore it now when Michael asked about his imprisonment by the Wraith. There was something she didn't tell him but he let it slip.

'Well, I believe this is a celebration of life and I feel very much like celebrating.' He grinned at her as he took her hand: 'What about you?'

'I think I can be persuaded to join you.' Teyla answered indulgently but she laughed freely when they ran hand in hand like children back to the settlement.


End file.
